Classroom at the main house
Another kind of classroom
Studying succession of ferns
Into the mangroves
Milling our own lumber
Beach at a national park
- TROPICAL FOREST ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION - 4 credit hours
- Structure and function of wet tropical forests.
- Field trips to tropical cloud forest, elfin forest, mangrove forest, rain forest, and wet lowland and premontane forest.
- Discussion of social, political,and economic factors affecting tropical forests.
- Field trips to national parks and ecotourism projects.
- INTERNSHIP - 2 credit hours
Participation in the actual work of a reforestation project.
- Possibilities include growth measurements, nursery work, tree planting (weather permitting), tree surveys, disease and insect control and mapping, thinning, erosion control and trail work.
- Working with local farmers on reforestation and other conservation projects has also become part of our work.
- Community outreach opportunities are also available.
- INDEPENDENT STUDY - variable credit hours Basic or applied research on problems of restoration ecology, forest ecology, ornithology, etc. If possible, adequate supplies and equipment should be arranged in advance of the session.
Students may take the 4 credit tropical ecology course, plus 2 credits of internship. If they already have a tropical ecology course, they can take an independent study project for 3 or 4 credits and an internship of 2 or 3 credits, for a total of 6 credits.
Academic credit can be arranged in several ways. Students may choose to arrange independent study credit through their home institutions. Arrangements can also be made for credit through Binghamton University at $188.00 per credit hour for NYS residents and $429.00 per credit hour for residents of other states. All but about $200 of this will go towards the $1,800 cost of the program for in-state residents. Out-of-state residents costs will be fully covered by tuition.
Preparation: It is anticipated that students will need about
one week's preparatory work, including a reading list on tropical ecology and
forestry. Advanced planning for independent study is helpful if a student has
a field of study or specific research in mind. After completing the independent
work, the write-up will involve an additional week's work after leaving the
field site.
SESSION DATES
2008 - June 28-July 27 (includes travel days)
INSTRUCTOR
The 2008 summer program will be taught by: Richard Andrus- Environmental Studies Program and Department of
Biological Science, Binghamton University Binghamton, New York.
Dr. Andrus has thirty-five years experience teaching ecology, ornithology, forestry
and environmental studies. He is a member of TFI, and he has taught a tropical ecology course in Costa Rica for 15 years.
COST
The cost for room and board, on-site transportation,
and supervision is $1,800 for the four-week session. This does not include airfare.
For students registering either in-state or out-of state at Binghamton, most
of the cost of tuition will go toward the $1,800 program fee. For in-state students
the total cost of the program will generally be $3,000-$3,200. Out-of-state
student's cost will be around $3,800 for 6 credits and $3,000-$3,200 for 4 credits.
INFORMATION AND APPLICATION MATERIALS
For more information, contact R. Andrus at
607-777-2160, (Fax-607-777-2288), or e-mail randrus@binghamton.edu.
Admission is rolling, so prompt application is suggested.
To apply, complete this application form and submit two references,
using this reference form.
The completed Application can be e-mailed if desired. References may also e-mail directly
to randrus@binghamton.edu.